Hit 500 whole hog breakdowns this month without a single knife slip

I've been a butcher for about 8 years now and I keep a little tally on my phone of how many hogs I break down start to finish. Last Tuesday I hit 500 exactly. That number surprised me because I remember struggling through my first dozen and losing count of how many times I nicked my finger or messed up the belly cut. The milestone matters to me because it means I finally know the muscle groups by feel, not just by looking at a chart. I still get nervous before a big order of 10 hogs shows up though. How do you all keep track of your skills improving over time or do you just wing it like I did for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

blairm3515d ago

Really feel you on that milestone feeling... 500 hogs is no joke. I've been at it for about six years myself and I still remember that first time I cracked open a whole pig and just stood there staring at it for a solid five minutes. That tally on your phone is a good idea... I just sort of know I'm getting better when I stop bleeding on the meat, haha. The nervous feeling before a big order never really goes away though, it just turns into a different kind of focus. Makes me think I should start keeping a little log myself, maybe I'd appreciate my progress more.

oliverbailey15d ago

The 500 mark took me about four years to hit, @blairm35. That log idea might help you catch things you don't notice day to day. How do you track your progress now without one?